The mineral deposits of Ag-Pb-Zn quartz veins of the Santa Bárbara mining district are hosted in sedimentary rocks of the Cretaceous formed by carbonaceous shales and calcareous siltstones and minor lenses of limestone of the Parral Formation. The hydrothermal solutions, possibly emanating from an intrusive body suspected to be at depth, were introduced in into the fracture systems (Scott, 1958). According to the mineralogy of the veins, which includes sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite, the deposit is considered as hypothermal formed at high temperature according to Lindgren’s classification.

The pre-mineral rock types found at Santa Barbara consist of a thick calcareous shale formation and andesite flows. The postmineral rock types consist of dikes and sills of rhyolite and diabase, a thin conglomerate formation, basalt flows, and unconsolidated stream sediments. Pre-mineral faulting took place in two stages, forming four fault systems. All faults within each system have similar strike and dip. Movement along these faults, vertical in the first-stage faults and horizontal in the second stage faults, formed openings and breccia zones.

Hydrothermal solutions, emanating from depth, were introduced into the faults. The walls and breccia fragments within the faults were silicified, and the high-temperature silicates, garnet, pyroxene, and epidote were formed. Accompanying and following the formation of the silicates, the sulfides, su ........

Santa Barbara includes three main underground mines (San Diego, Segovedad and Tecolotes). The mining operations at Santa Barbara are more diverse and complex than any of the other mines in Companys Mexican operations, with veins that aggregate approximately 21 kilometers in length.

Due to the variable characteristics of the ore bodies, four types of mining methods are used: shrinkage stoping, long-hole drilled open stoping, cut-and-fill stoping and horizontal bench stoping.

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